People love puppies. But all too often—and in so many cruel ways—these animals are betrayed by the very breeders who raise them. These breeding facilities are called puppy mills, where female breeding dogs are kept in close confinement and forced to bear litter after litter without any break for their bodies to recover. Once they can no longer produce puppies, these mothers are often killed. Adult breeding dogs and puppies are typically kept in cages with wire flooring that can injure their paws and legs.

Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills, though families who eventually buy these puppies in pet stores don't know their purchase feeds the profit-making machine that keeps puppy mills in business.

That's why we stood proudly with the New York City Council last week as they admirably addressed this issue head-on. By an overwhelming margin, the Council passed groundbreaking legislation—Intro. 55-A, Intro. 136-A and Intro. 146-A—that will put effective and enforceable pressure on commercial breeders to substantially improve the lives of thousands of dogs currently languishing in puppy mills in this country.

Spearheaded by Councilmembers Elizabeth Crowley and Corey Johnson, these measures will prohibit city pet shops from selling animals obtained from breeders who fail to meet even the most basic care standards prescribed by the federal Animal Welfare Act, as well as from animal brokers known for selling puppies to pet stores from disreputable, difficult-to-trace sources.

It will also require New York City pet shops to disclose information about the origins of the animals they sell, and require that dogs and cats sold at city pet shops are spayed/neutered, microchipped and dogs licensed prior to sale. These measures are critical to reducing pet homelessness, reuniting lost pets with owners and ensuring the safety of pets and the public.

Prior to this year, New York cities and communities did not have the authority to set their own standards, but in January, Governor Cuomo signed milestone legislation—including New York City—to regulate pet dealers for the first time in almost 15 years. Quickly acting on their new authority, the New York City Council created these humane measures.

While these laws won't keep all puppy mill puppies out of New York City pet stores, it's a critical step in the right direction. Taken together they will deeply impact the lives of dogs in puppy mills across the nation, and further New York City's reputation as a leader in animal welfare and safety.

These measures also send a clear message that I hope resonates outside of our city and state boundaries: A civilized society does not tolerate animal cruelty, whether it's fueled by greed, negligence or anything else.

Once that message travels far and wide, we may finally be able to elevate all our animal welfare policies and laws to match values that emphasize animal protection, not exploitation.

For nearly 150 years, the ASPCA has called New York City home, and we’re proud to have helped the city and its animal rescue institutions make great strides in recent years. New York City currently has the lowest dog and cat euthanasia rate per capita in the country. Animal cruelty laws are rigorously enforced in record-breaking numbers by the NYPD in partnership with the ASPCA. And, just yesterday, the New York City Council approved groundbreaking legislation that will curb puppy mills by prohibiting city pet shops from selling animals obtained from breeders who fail to meet even the most basic standards of care. New York City is a place where we protect animals from suffering, not exploit them for profit.

The positive momentum we’ve created should absolutely extend to New York City carriage horses, which is why we support Mayor de Blasio’s proposal to phase out these rides on New York City streets. Using these animals to pull heavy loads of tourists for long hours through loud and congested city streets is simply unnatural, unnecessary, and an undeniable strain on their quality of life, and we’ll work closely with rescue networks to ensure these horses are humanely retired. The ASPCA was founded in part to help horses, and we’ve devoted tremendous effort and resources over the years to bring a permanent end to both domestic horse slaughter and the export of American horses for slaughter abroad.

Naturally, retiring this industry will have financial repercussions, but the Mayor’s bill reflects a strong intent to offset those consequences with workforce training programs and resources available not only to drivers, but to owners, license holders, and horse stable employees. The proposal will prevent renewals of carriage licenses when they expire in 2016, giving displaced workers time to transition to more contemporary industries. Under this bill, owners will also be prohibited from selling horses to slaughter.

So when posed with a choice between giving these horses a quality of life they deserve, or justifying an antiquated industry on the sole basis of tradition and financial gain, it’s clear what the New York City Council should do, based on the humane values New York City holds.

Photo: NYC Council Members Corey Johnson and Elizabeth Crowley, who spearheaded this legislation, flank ASPCA President and CEO Matthew Bershadker as he speaks at this morning's rally in support of stronger pet store regulations.

We couldn’t be more thrilled to share the news that the New York City Council today voted in favor of Introductions 55-A, 136-A and 146-A, legislation to regulate city pet stores that sell puppies. Certain provisions of the bills will take effect as soon as January.

These measures are designed to prevent pet stores in New York City from obtaining puppies from some of the most unscrupulous puppy breeders—a.k.a. puppy mills—in the nation. Pet stores will also be required to disclose information to customers about the origins of the animals they sell, as well as to spay/neuter and microchip dogs and cats (and license dogs) before selling them. This multi-pronged approach will protect animals from exploitation and suffering and help arm consumers with the information they need to make smart choices about bringing new pets into their homes.

Our deepest thanks go out to the New York City members of our ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, who emailed and called their councilmembers in support of these measures. To learn more about the puppy mill industry and its connection to pet stores that sell animals, please visit nopetstorepuppies.com.

Like many, we’ve been watching the situation in Moreauville, Louisiana, where a local “vicious dog” ordinance threatened the lives of innocent pit bulls and Rottweilers—including one serving as a loyal therapy dog for O'Hara Owen and her family. We’re relieved to hear local leaders say they have repealed the unjust law.

The ASPCA has long opposed legislation that targets specific breeds of dogs, because all dogs need to be judged on the merits of their individual behavior, not stereotyped based on misperceptions about their breed. Fortunately, many state legislatures agree. Currently, there are no state-level laws that discriminate against certain dog breeds, though a number of cities and municipalities do have breed-specific laws in place. Eighteen states have taken the extra step to ban breed-specific legislation altogether.

When safety is a community issue, we support laws that focus not on breed but on individual dog behavior, including those prohibiting prolonged chaining and tethering.

But behind this unfair law and its nearly tragic consequences is another story that’s just as important: the story of how a community’s voice—whether it’s a geographical community or one united by common values—can create meaningful change, save lives, and reverse something as seemingly untouchable as established law.

We applaud local decision-makers for listening, and extend our services to help craft new ordinance language that will offer the intended protections to Moreauville while avoiding the tragic pitfalls of breed-specific legislation.

This ordinance—and the fate of Moreauville pets—only got a second look when individual voices online, and later, news media brought it to light. As a result, our culture is a little more humane and a little more civilized today than it was yesterday. That may sound like a tiny difference to some, but to families like the Owens and to those of us dedicated to this cause, it’s life-changing.

There’s no denying that puppies and kittens are hard to resist—just see the reactions to our recent graduation ceremony at the ASPCA Kitten Nursery. But two other undeniable truths deserve even more of our attention: First, older shelter animals are just as loving, loyal and delightful as young ones. Second, senior animals are typically the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized.

This is why Adopt a Senior Pet Month is so important. Every shelter has older dogs or cats in its care, but stigmas often deprive these animals of the right to be fairly considered.

Some adopters hesitate because they believe older pets are less likely to bond with new owners—this is not the case. While many senior animals have spent years or decades with previous owners, age is not a determining factor in an animal’s affection toward new owners or his/her ability to bond with them at any point. In fact, owners often easily form bonds with older pets due to the animals’ typically calmer dispositions, their familiarity with home environments, their experience dealing with other animals, and previous training.

Other myths about older pets include them being sick, unfriendly, dirty, and unsafe around young children. But none of that can be assumed any more than one would assume it with a newborn pet. Your local shelter or rescue group will be in the best position to assess potential matches, so be sure to ask lots of questions.

Beyond the misconceptions, there are clear benefits to adopting a senior pet. For starters, their behavior is more predictable because their personalities are already well developed. You’ll also know their full-grown size and activity level, and how that might affect your lifestyle.

Senior pets are also easier to train and require less monitoring than puppies or kittens, who sometimes can’t distinguish between a safe situation and a dangerous one. It’s nice to adopt a dog who likely knows what “no” means.

Additionally, senior animals won’t have teething issues and will come into your life already house-trained, meaning they’re less likely to cause destruction in your home—especially if you’re away for long periods. Older pets are also more accustomed to the predictable daytime and nighttime patterns of humans.

Organizations like Susie’s Senior Dogs, Muttville, and The Grey Muzzle Organization work hard to promote senior animals who are at increased risk of euthanasia, but you can play a crucial part by adopting one yourself, as well as by encouraging friends, family and colleagues to do the same. When you adopt an older pet, you’re not only bringing incredible joy into your home, but rescuing an animal that’s very close to peril.

Some inspiring senior success stories include Marnie, a senior Shih Tzu found abandoned and later adopted in 2012; and Arabelle, a senior pit bull rescued from a massive dog fighting operation we helped dismantle in 2013. Both of these dogs were adopted despite these deeply held misperceptions, and each brought as much love, enjoyment, and loyalty into their new homes as would an animal of any age.